I Am
by Mystical Star
Summary: 08th Team fic. Twenty years after the One-Year-War, Shiro and Aina's daughter begins to find out who her parents really are. At the same time, the remnants of Zeon are looking for Aina for one thing: to rebuild the Apsalus.
1. The Begining of the End

I Am

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production 

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam 08th MS Team, but the ideas for the new identities in this story are mine (I'm not going to spoil it for you now! ;) ). Thank you. And please leave a review and tell me what ya think. Arigatou!

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Chapter One ~ The Beginning of the End UC 0100 – Twenty Years after the One-Year-War – St. Gabriel's School in Side 6 

Rosaline Amada stepped off of the school bus and breathed in the synthetic Side 6 breeze as it coursed through her two-toned blue hair. Rosaline, better known as Ro to her friends, was a girl of medium height with midnight blue hair with natural icy blue highlights that lined her face. Her blue-green eyes reflected the bright colony lights as she waved to some students she knew who passed her by. 

As the young girl headed towards the music department to drop off her violin, someone stepped in front of her and they collided. 

"I'm sorry!" 

Ro looked at the person she'd run into. He was rather short and wimpy looking with red hair and sky blue eyes. He looked rather embarrassed. 

"Don't worry about it. Are you new here?" Ro asked. The boy nodded. 

"Micah Ninorich," He said, sticking out his hand in greeting. Rosaline smiled and shook his hand. 

"Micah!" A feminine voice called from behind the two. The blue-haired girl turned around to see a near exact copy of Micah standing behind her. 

"What the -?" Ro asked, feeling rather confused. 

"This is my twin sister, Marina," Micah explained. Ro laughed and nodded. 

"I'm Rosaline Amada. Just call me Ro." She said through her laughter.

"Can you help us find the office, we're new here and we're a little lost," Marina asked. Ro nodded. 

"Sure, just follow me!" 

Later… 

Ro settled into History, her first period class, a few minutes before the get-to-class bell rang and pulled out her notebook and began to randomly doodle cartoon characters out of boredom. Her teacher, a small middle-aged woman, sat at her computer, most likely setting up the new year's grading spread-sheet. 

Just then, someone walked into the classroom that made Ro turn red. Gavin Massis. 

Gavin was a tall, fairly well built young man with long bronze hair that reached his shoulders. Word was that Gavin's father was supposed to be some sort of undiscovered rock star and he had passed his genes down to his son. Gavin had the voice of a god. Ro loved listening to him when they sang in the school choir together. He was one year ahead of her so it was surprising that they were in the same history class, but that was the last thought on Ro's mind. 

"Hey, Ro," Gavin said, holding up a hand in greeting. Rosaline smiled and nodded. 

"Hi," She said. "What brings you to this class?" 

"My mom. She fought in the One-Year-War and thinks this class will be important to me sometime in the future," Gavin shrugged. "Learning from past mistakes I guess," 

The teacher looked up at Gavin and shook her head as if she was disgusted with something to young man had said. 

"That's kind of ridiculous isn't it? We live in a neutral colony," Ro pointed out. 

"I know," Gavin chuckled as he took a seat in front of Rosaline, who could have melted. 

The bell rang and people began to pour into the classroom and took random seats for themselves. After five minutes the tardy bell rang, signaling the beginning of a new school year. The teacher rose from her seat and cleared her throat. 

"Hi everybody. I'm Mrs. Bersina and this is the extended history class covering from January of UC 0080 to UC 0084. If you don't be long here then get out," She said, using a southern accent on her last few words. 

The history classes were slightly different at St. Gabriel's. There were general classes covering all of the Universal Centuries, pre-Universal Centuries, and so on – then there were the extended classes that covered specific events and time periods, such as the One-Year-War. The particular class that Ro was sitting in was the extended class dealing with the years when the war was winding down, starting with the major defeat of the Zeon forces at a mountain in Southeast Asia and ending after the colony drop on North America. 

"I hate to sound boring, but after I hand out your books, please start reading chapter one and we'll discuss tomorrow," Mrs. Bersina said as she took a stack of books from the side of her desk and began giving them out to students. The minute Ro got hers she dug into the book. No matter how boring it was to everyone else, Rosaline always found history interesting.

In the beginning of her reading, Ro just skimmed, looking for important information and absorbing everything else that was interesting to her, but one of the headings stopped her. 

"Final Attack of the Apsalus" 

Ro frowned. _What the hell is the Apsalus?_ She thought to herself. 

"After the Zeon's defeat at Odessa, the Federation gathered in the Himalayan Mountains to execute its next attack on a secret Zeon base in Mount St.Keiran, said to be holding the most advanced Zeon weapon. Unfortunately for the Zeon forces, an explosion gave away their position. 

_With the target located, the Federation forces began to mobilize quickly, but were attacked by a man named Norris Packard. Packard sacrificed his life to destroy a Feddie artillery battery. This bought the Zeon forces some time to put the finishing touches on their weapon of mass destruction, the Apsalus._

Shortly after the explosion of Norris Packard's mobile suit, the Apsalus was completed and came out of it's hiding place in Mt. St. Keiran. One of the pilots of the great destroying machine proposed a temporary ceasefire to allow the Zeon hospital ship, the Kerguelen, to escape. The ceasefire went into effect as the Kerguelen began to take off, however, due to reasons unknown, the Apsalus fired. The ceasefire was cancelled, and Federation snipers shot down the Kerguelen. 

_One of the mobile suit team leaders, ensign Shiro Amada…."_

Ro blinked and looked at the page closer. Sure enough, the book said "Shiro Amada". _But that's my dad, and he's never said anything about a war. What's going on here? _She thought as she continued to read. 

"…Ensign Shiro Amada, confronted the Apsalus and attempted to destroy it, against the orders of his superiors. The Apsalus fired on the ensign just as he crushed the cockpit, causing both to explode. None of the pilots' bodies were ever found and they have been missing ever since."

Rosaline Amada sat in her desk in awe. She didn't know what to do. Neither her father or mother had never mentioned the One-Year-War before, much less that her dad had been involved in it. 

As the blue-haired girl stared at the page in front of her in confusion, a piece of paper dropped over Gavin's back, covering the name of her father. Ro snapped back to reality and unfolded the piece of paper and read the note. 

_"Ro-_

_The band's working on a new song that needs a violin solo. I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping us out. Give me a call or catch me after class._

-Gavin  (785-4312)"

All of the thoughts of her father being a possible missing military personnel flew out the window as she felt herself melting on the inside. Playing with Gavin's band? It was like a dream come true for the young musician. The band, entitled Adrenaline, had won numerous competitions singing popular songs and their own originals, and their fans to be able to sing or play with them considered it an honor. Not only that, but let's face it, all of the members were hot. All of the girls were gaga – not excluding Ro. 

The young girl spent the rest of the class period struggling between her smitten-ess and the question of her entire existence. 

Seventh hour… 

Ro lay on the risers in the choir room, staring at her history book. She had a study hall this hour and did not plan on spending it in the study hall room. The young woman hated the awkward silences and the boring atmosphere. The choir room was more interesting. Suddenly, the door opened. Marina Ninorich walked in. 

"Hi!" She greeted. Ro put her book down and waved. 

"What brings you here?" She asked. 

"I was hoping to join the choir, is the director here?" 

"Nah, he's out 'checking the water tower'." 

"What?"

"Smoking his pipe." 

Marina laughed. "So what are you doing here?"

"Study hall. I hate the regular ones so I got a permanent pass here." Ro said. "If you don't mind me asking, what brought you to Side 6?" She asked. Marina sat down next to her and began to explain.

"Well, my parents were both involved in the War, and there was some stuff going on Earth that they just didn't like, I guess." 

"Like what?"

"People don't appreciate soldiers," Marina said, hugging her knees to her body. "My dad was trying to get a memorial put up at that mountain where a big battle happened - "

"Mount St. Kieran?" Ro interjected. 

"Yeah, how'd you know?" 

"What was the memorial for?" 

"A couple of pilots whose bodies were never found. My mom said that the guy was his commander. Dad believed for a long time that he wasn't dead, but I guess he just gave up." Marina explained, sounding a little confused. "Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, uh, we were reading about it in extended history." Ro lied. "Sorry for interrupting, what were you saying?"

"Well, my dad wanted a memorial put up on Mount Kieran and people kept on calling our house yelling at him saying that they had no intention on sitting still and watching a memorial being put up that honored terrorists. Soldiers aren't terrorists though, my dad protected them and this is how they repay him." Marina stated bitterly. 

"People are stupid," Ro said as the bell signaling the end of the school day rang. The two girls rose from their spot on the risers. "I guess you didn't get to see Mr. Moenia today," she added.

"Eh, I'll see him tomorrow, hopefully. Do you mind if I follow you to your locker?" Marina asked. Ro shook her head. 

"Nope, I hope you don't have a bus to catch, I usually take my time and just walk home." Rosaline said. 

"Actually, Micah and I were planning on walking home anyway," Marina said as the two reached Ro's locker. The two-tone haired girl entered the numbers to her locker and opened it to reveal a collage of pictures. Marina noticed one of the pictures in the middle. There were three people smiling at the camera lens in it. 

"Who's that?" Marina asked, pointing at the picture. 

"That's me, my mom and my and my dad at the Side 6 Botanical Gardens last year." Ro said, shoving a book into her messenger bag. 

"Cool," Marina said, admiring the picture for a little while before noticing another person at their locker a few feet down. The young man was fairly tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, who seemed to be staring at the picture that Marina had just pointed out. The minute the boy saw Marina looking at him he turned back to packing his backpack. 

"Hey, who's that guy?" Marina asked Ro, nodding her head in the young man's direction. 

"Captio Sahalin. Stay away from him, he's really freaky," Ro advised as she slammed her locker shut. Marina watched Captio round the corner and then continued to interrogate Ro. 

"What do you mean, 'freaky'?" 

"Like a stalker. He never talks to anyone unless they piss him off and he only makes threats and sexually harasses women he likes. Stay away from him," 

"Maybe he's just misunderstood," 

"I doubt it. I tried being nice to him until he tried to make moves on me. I socked him in the gut and he got the idea," 

"Oh," Marina said, suddenly feeling embarrassed. 

"I hear he's been charged with assault before, but those are just rumors." 

"Yikes," 

"Yeah," 

"Marina!" A voice called from behind them. The two young women turned around to see Micah running up to them. "I've been looking all over for you!" 

Marina laughed. "What are you, my keeper?" 

"Well…no…but - "

"You're such a worry wart," 

Ro laughed at the sibling's interaction. "You guys are lucky, I don't have a brother or sister to pick on," She commented. 

"Nah, you're lucky not to have one," Micah said. "They get annoying," he said, sneering at Marina, who stepped on his foot. Rosaline laughed as she took out a pen and a piece of scratch paper she had in her pocket and wrote down her phone number and handed it to Marina. 

"Here's my phone number, call me sometime and I'll show you guys some cool places," she said. 

"Awesome," Marina and Micah said in unison. Ro gave them a funny look while the twins just laughed. 

That night… 

After dinner and homework, Rosaline went downstairs to find her father. She found him in the living room with her mother, watching the news. 

"Hey, Dad," She said as she walked into the room. Her father looked back at her from the couch and he smiled. 

"Hey sweetie," Her father said. Ro could just hear the smile and happiness in his voice as she sat down on the couch between her parents. Her mother, Aina, put her arm over her daughter's shoulders. 

"I have a question for you," Ro said. 

"Shoot," 

Rosaline stopped short, wondering if this was a question that really needed to be asked. 

"Were you ever involved in the One-Year-War?" 

Her father suddenly looked very serious and Ro felt her mother's hand twitch. She saw her father's eyes travel to her mother's and then back to hers. 

"Yes, I was involved with the war," He sighed. 

"What did you do?"

"I was a mobile suit pilot, why do you want to know?" 

"We're studying it in extended history, I was just curious." Ro said. She kissed her father and mother on the cheek and then left the room, feeling as though she was being left out of the loop on something. After her parents were sure she was upstairs in her room, the two looked at each other. 

"Shiro, do you think we should tell her, the War's long over, there's no way you can be court-martialed if it ever got out." Aina said. Shiro sighed. 

"Does she really need to know though? Does she really need to know that her parents are fugitives?"

"We're not fugitives anymore," Aina said, scooting closer to her husband. Shiro put his arm around his wife. 

"We'll tell her. I just don't think I'm ready to go relive that part of my past, the stuff that lead up to St. Kieran. I still have nightmares about that stuff," He said, trying to shrug it off his shoulders. 

Aina knew all to well that the events that lead up to the final attack of the Apsalus left Shiro terrible emotional scars. He had to kill a Zeon soldier and watch his friend mourn the loss of her father and friends because his plan didn't work. She heard his cries in the middle of the night and saw him staring at the scars on his arms with a forlorn look. 

She hugged him. "I love you," she said reassuringly. Shiro leaned his head on his wife's and kissed her hair, trying to think his memories away. 

Meanwhile, up in her room, Ro got ready for bed with thoughts of war floating through her head as she hit the pillow. 

I wonder why Dad didn't mention Kieran…then again I didn't exactly ask, but you'd think he'd say something, or at least be proud he stopped such a horrible weapon of mass destruction. Or maybe Shiro Amada is a common name and I don't know it, 

Ro sighed as she turned out the light next to her bed. Thoughts of Gavin Massis entered her head as she drifted off to sleep, bringing pleasant dreams to that night. 

To Be Continued 

**Next Time: **Rosaline searches for more information about her father's past while trying to balance a possible relationship with Gavin Massis, and things get interesting when Captio Sahalin begins to ask Ro questions about her mother. It's obvious that some old friends are going to run into each other, but when and how is the question! All of this and more in the **Chapter Two: Love, War, and Espionage!**


	2. Love, War, And Espionage

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I Am  
By Mystical Star  
**A Kitty-Chan Production**

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam 08th MS Team, but I do own Ro, Micah, Marina, Gavin, and Captio. Thank you. And please leave a review and tell me what ya think. Arigatou!

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Chapter Two ~ Love, War, and Espionage

Ro was jarred awake to the sound of a shout from her parent's room. Her first thought was that there was someone in her parent's bedroom that shouldn't be, and her father had awoken to see him. She was about to run to the phone and call the police when she heard her mother's voice. 

"Shiro, what is it?"

"It's nothingjust stupid dreams again," 

"About that pilot?" 

"Yeah," 

"Shiro, she - " 

"I shouldn't have done it, Aina, you should have seen the look on her face. I took her life" 

"Shiro," 

Rosaline could hear the sound of her father holding back sobs, something that she'd only heard once before when they'd been separated at a fair for nearly a day. Shiro had thought that she'd been kidnapped. 

"I should go check on Ro, I probably woke her up," Her father said, shaking off the tears. Rosaline flopped back down onto her bed and pulled the covers close to her head, turning away from the door so her father wouldn't be suspicious that she was awake. 

Shiro came into his daughter's room. His heart softened when he saw her there, supposedly sleeping. Thankful that it appeared that he had not awoken her, Shiro kissed his daughter on the cheek and then went back to bed. 

Rosaline was very confused. _Dad killed someone? No, he couldn't have, buthe said it himselfMaybe it was a big misunderstanding. _She thought. The young girl shook off her thoughts and tried to sleep. Even though she tried, sleep did not come until an hour or so later, after she had made at least three excuses for her father killing someone. 

The next morning

Ro yawned as she took her geometry book out of her messenger bag and exchanged it for her history book at her locker. She suddenly felt as though someone had her eyes on her and she turned to see Captio Sahalin standing behind her. Ro jumped. 

"Captio!" She exclaimed, surprised. 

"Hey," He said smoothly in his deep voice. He said it so suavely that it made Ro nervous. Captio smiled smugly as he pushed her locker door open more so he could observe the pictures tacked on the inside of the door. 

"Is this your mom?" He asked. 

"Y – yes," 

"Her name's Aina, isn't it?" 

"Why do you care?" 

"I want to know more about you," 

"That's over, Captio. You know I don't have feelings for you," 

"What if I still have feelings for you?" 

"Then deal with it." Ro said coldly. Somehow, she had always known that the only thing that Captio had wanted was her body. But today he wanted something else. 

"That's not very nice," 

"I'm not a nice person to people who try to rape me," She hissed. "Don't think I haven't forgotten that, and if you don't leave me alone I'll go tell someone this time so help me," Ro warned. Captio smirked. 

"Whatever you say," He said, backing away from her. Ro watched Captio until he had turned the corner to go to his first hour class before she slammed her locker door shut. Now, someone else was behind her, she could feel it. She turned to see Marina. 

"Hey," Ro said, smiling. 

"I thought you said not to talk to Captio," Marina said, giggling. 

"Trust me, it's something I'd rather not have to do. He just came up to me and started talking to me like we were going out or something. It made me really nervous," Ro sighed. 

"Do you think he's stalking you or something?"

"Nah, I told him I'd rat on him for harassing me if he didn't stop bothering me. I think he'll stop," 

"That's good," Marina said

The warning bell rang, calling the students to their classes. 

"Well, see you later," Ro said as she began to walk to her history class. 

"Okay, see you!" Marina waved as the two went their separate ways. 

In class, Mrs. Bersina was beginning to talk about the incident at Mount St. Keiran. However interesting this was to her, Ro was so tired from her lack of sleep that she drifted off. 

Suddenly, she heard a voice. 

This is so boring, one said. 

I wonder if I'd get detention for faking a seizure? Another voice mused. Ro snapped awake and looked around her. Mrs. Bersina was still lecturing on St. Keiran and everybody was still pretending to listen. 

I must be hallucinating...Ro decided. Now awake and attentive, she listened to Mrs. Bersina and took notes over the lecture until the bell rang. After class, Rosaline was about to head to her physics class, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. 

"Hey, Ro," 

It was Gavin. The blue haired girl spun around and tried not to blush.

"Hi Gavin," 

"Our practice is tonight at my place, are you going to come?" 

"Um, sure, what time?" Ro stuttered as the two rounded the corner towards the science department. 

"Four, can you come?" 

"Yeah, but I've never seen the music, I might not help a lot," 

"Oh, crap, I left that at home. Oh well, I know you can get it, it's pretty elementary," Gavin said as he and Ro made their way through the crowded hall. "You're a great violinist, this isn't anything you can't do," 

The blue-haired girl blushed profusely. "Thanks," 

"Hey, well, I have to get going. See you after class?" Gavin asked, starting to head towards the English department. 

"Yeah! See you!" Ro said, waving before she headed to physics, her heart beating a million miles a minute. So far, Ro had spent almost three hours in school - the rest had all been spent in space dreaming dreams. 

After School

Gavin found Rosaline at her locker, stuffing her books into her messenger bag while trying to keep her violin case propped against the locker next to her. 

"You ready?" He asked as he neared her. 

"Yup. Just one thing, none of the band smokes, do they? My parents will flip if I come home smelling like contraband." Rosaline said as she picked up her violin and slammed her locker shut. Gavin laughed.

"Nah, and we're practicing at my house anyway. My mom hates the stuff - she's a doctor. I've heard so many threats that if I come home smelling like smoke I'll be roasted alive in the oven. She even made my dad quit." Gavin explained. Ro laughed as the two began to walk out towards the school parking lot. Having already consulted her parents on the idea of going to a friends house to play for a band, she had the afternoon with Gavin - worry and Captio free. Just as she thought all of her troubles were out the window, none other than the talk, dark, young man appeared in front of she and Gavin, scaring her to death. 

"Where are you going?" Captio asked, looking down on Ro with a malicious smile. Gavin gave Captio a confused look, and then shot Ro an even more puzzled one. The blue-haired girl looked up at the harrasser and shot him an icy look before quickening her pace. 

"Come on, I just want to know -" 

"Go away," Ro snapped, not looking back. 

"Hey, man, I think you should back off," Gavin warned. Captio smirked. 

"I just want to ask her a question," 

"Leave her alone. She obviously doesn't feel like talking to you," Gavin said. Captio sighed and reached out to touch Ro's shoulder. Gavin knocked his arm out of the way.

"Did you hear me?" Gavin demanded. Ro turned around, now concerned for Gavin, who had his fist poised for battle. Captio chuckled. 

"Hit me," The aggressor said nonchalantly, as if he was amused. 

"I won't hesitate," Gavin said. 

"Gavin, stop this," Rosaline said, taking his fist in her hand. She felt his muscles relax at her touch, a surprising action to the young girl. 

"Ro, he's -"

"Let's just go," 

Gavin looked at Captio and then at Ro and then lowered his fist and sighed. 

"Leave her alone," He warned Captio, who smirked and turned away. Gavin shook his head and continued to lead Ro to his old red truck in the parking lot. 

"What's he following you around for?" Gavin finally asked. 

"I tried to be nice to him once. He ended up trying to rape me and I beat him up so I could escape. I told him if he ever tried anything again I wouldn't hesitate to make him sterile and then turn him in. So far he's stayed away, but something's changed. He doesn't want me anymorehe wants something else," 

"How can you tell?"

"Just something about him.I don't get the same feeling like I used to when I see him," 

Gavin raised an eyebrow as they reached his truck, but he didn't argue. After tossing his backpack into his truck's bed, he turned to Ro. 

"Listen, if that guy ever lays a hand on you, let me know. I'll set him straight," Gavin said, looking her straight in the eye. 

"I can take care of myself," 

Gavin looked frazzled as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Crazy women-folk," He muttered. Rosaline laughed. 

"What?" 

"Just something my dad says when my mom gets mad at him for something," Gavin chuckled, waving the thought away with his hand. "Well, if you can take care of yourself, at least humor me and take this," he said, taking a chain from around his neck and put it over her head. After it was on her, Ro lifted the charm and examined it. There was an engraving of a shield with a dove on it, wrapped in a banner that had forgein words on it.

"_Amor et Protectus_?" She asked. 

"It means _Love and Protection _in Latin_._ I don't want to see you get hurt, Ro. If I can't be there in person, at least let me be there in spirit," 

Rosaline was humbled by his words. She looked up into his eyes and saw the concern for her. 

"Gavin, thank you," she whispered. 

After a few moments of silence, Gavin sighed and said, "Well, we'd better get going," 

Ro nodded and opened the passenger side door to the old red truck while Gavin got in on the drivers side. The two sped off towards his house in silence.

Meanwhile

Captio extracted a key from his jeans pocket and shoved it in the lock. He turned the lock until it clicked, and he walked in. The house was dark and quiet, meaning his mother was still at work. He strolled to his room and plopped down in the chair at his computer desk, turned on the computer, and waited for it to boot up. As he was waiting for his computer to awaken, he thought about his run-in with Ro in the parking lot. He smirked. 

"Stupid. That's what they are." He said, chuckling. The computer screen flashed at him, signaling the end of the boot-up. The malicious young man clicked the mouse over an icon that read "Zeon Files". Information streamed across the screen, all about information recorded in the One-Year-War. He pulled up the file on the Apsalus and began his research. After a few minutes of skimming, he came across some information about the man who destroyed the Apsalus and his mobile suit team. Captio raised an eyebrow and smiled darkly. 

"So, their parents know each other. Interesting," He chuckled. 

"Perhaps mother would fancy a little reunion for the Kojima Battalion 08th Mobile Suit Team to witness the rebirth of Zeon," 

To Be Continued

Next Time: A week after chapter two, Ro has written off the idea of her father's involvment and Mt. St. Keiran and is working on a possible relationship with Gavin when they go out on their first date. Unfortunatly, Captio has something else up his sleeve for their first date and Marina and Micah find out. Things get interesting in **Chapter Three: Black, Tangled Hearts**


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